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| Mozambique ex-leader wins prize | Mozambique ex-leader wins prize |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano has won the first Mo Ibrahim prize rewarding a retired African head of state for excellence in leadership. | Former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano has won the first Mo Ibrahim prize rewarding a retired African head of state for excellence in leadership. |
| Mr Chissano, who is credited with bringing peace to Mozambique, had been seen as a frontrunner for the prize. | Mr Chissano, who is credited with bringing peace to Mozambique, had been seen as a frontrunner for the prize. |
| The prize, announced by former UN head Kofi Annan, is worth $5m (£2.5m) over 10 years, and then $200,000 a year. | The prize, announced by former UN head Kofi Annan, is worth $5m (£2.5m) over 10 years, and then $200,000 a year. |
| Mobile phone millionaire Mo Ibrahim is funding the project in the hope it will help improve governments' performance. | Mobile phone millionaire Mo Ibrahim is funding the project in the hope it will help improve governments' performance. |
| His decision not to seek a third presidential term reinforced Mozambique's democratic maturity Kofi Annan on Joaquim Chissano class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7056229.stm">Profile: Joaquim Chissano | |
| The Sudanese businessman also hopes it will increase Africa's self-sufficiency and bring a day when the continent's people no longer need to live on aid. | |
| Mr Annan chaired the panel that awarded the first edition of the prize, billed as the largest of its kind. | |
| "It is (for) his role in leading Mozambique from conflict to peace and democracy that Chissano has made his most outstanding contribution," Mr Annan said after announcing the winner. | |
| "This remarkable reconciliation between opponents provides a shining example to the rest of the world and is testament to both his strength of character and his leadership," he said. | |
| After winning independence from Portugal in 1975 Mozambique suffered a civil war that lasted until 1992. | |
| Wider role | |
| Mr Chissano was the country's president from 1986 to 2005. He also served as chairman of the African Union in 2003 and 2004, and has worked as a UN envoy. | |
| Mr Annan praised Mr Chissano's role at home and more widely in Africa. | |
| "His decision not to seek a third presidential term reinforced Mozambique's democratic maturity and demonstrated that institutions and the democratic process were more important than personalities," he said. | |
| "He was a powerful voice for Africa on the international stage and played an important role in pushing debt relief up the agenda." | |
| Mr Chissano is something as a rarity in Africa as a leader who has left office with his reputation intact, says BBC southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles. | |
| The panel of judges also included the former Irish President, Mary Robinson, Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and the head of the Organisation of African Unity, Salim Ahmed Sali. | |
| They assessed the relative merits of 13 African former heads of state, all of whom left power in the past three years. | They assessed the relative merits of 13 African former heads of state, all of whom left power in the past three years. |
| Among these at least six took power by staging coups. |